Carpet-stretcher



(No ModeL) DANN.

GARPET STRETOHER.

No. 343,892. Patented June 15, 1 886.

INVENTOR 7 .dttorney WITNESSES 5M UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ADONIRAM DANN, OF MARINE CITY, MICHIGAN.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part; of Letters Patent No. 343,892, dated June15, 1886.

Application filed December 15, 1885. Serial No. 185.756. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADONIRAM DANN, of Marine City, county of St. Clair,Stateof Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement inOarpet-Stretchers; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements incarpet-stretchers; and it consists of the combination of devices andappliances hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carpetstretcherembodying my invention, ready for application. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection.

I carry out my invention as follows:

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Arepresents a pushbar provided at one end with teeth or points a, of anysuitable constructiomfor engaging a carpet. It will be desirable tosecure these points upon a cross-bar, A, engaged with the end of thepush-bar, as shown. The points may consist of a serrated metallic barengaged upon the cross-bar A; or they may be separately engaged in thecross-bar or end of the push-bar, which might be constructed broadenough to dispense with the need of a crossbar.

.13 is an operating-leverhinged to the opposite end of the push-bar, asshown at a, and provided with one or more spikes, b, at its lower end,toengage the floor firmly for operating the push-bar A.

O is a rack-bar, serrated at one end and engaged at the other over apivot, a' in the pushbar, said bar being slotted, as shown at a, to

1 receive said end of the rack-bar.

and separated therefrom.

engagement of the rack-bar upon said pivot, the slot is situated at anangle to the open end, Such a construction prevents as shown at c.

any accidental disengagement of the rackbar and holds it firmly upon thepivot when in use. The operating-lever is also provided with a slot, asshown at b, and with a pin, 1)", to act as a pawl in connection with therackbar.

The operation of the device is as follows: The spiked end of the lever Bis engaged through the carpet into the floor and the toothed end of thepush-bar with the carpet in the direction in which it is to bestretched. The operator at first stands near the foot of the lever andforces its upper end forward toward the toothed end of the push-bar, therack-bar being so constructed as to ride freely through the slot 1) ofthe lever and over the pin b", and to hold the lever from retractinguntil the operation is completed. When the operatinglever is forcedforward to the desired extent, the forward end of the push-bar hascarried the carpet and stretched it a corresponding distance.

One special feature of my invention is,that in operating it the free endof the lever is carried forward in the direction in which the carpet isbeing stretched. WVhen the lever has been once thrown forward andaportion of the carpet is stretched thereby, the operator is permittedto step forward to the point of the engagement of the push-bar with thecarpet, and so hold what has been gained by his weight while hedisengages the stretcher and locates the spiked end of the lever in thefloor at his feet, and engages the toothed end of the push-bar forwardwith the carpet, to repeat the operation already described. llhisfeature of arranging the operating-lever so as to be operated in thedirection of the work is an important one, as it enables the operator tostep forward to secure his gains, and when he has reached the edge ofthe carpet to be tacked down his operating-lever is close at hand foruse as he applies the tacks.

Another important feature of my invention, to which I call attention,is, that in. being constructed and arranged in the manner shown, andabove described, the device is capable of being folded up in compact andconvenientshape for shipping,or for packing away when not in use. Bymaking the forward end removable from the pivot a the rack-bar may bereadily disengaged therefrom, and drawn out of engagement also with theoperating-lever. Said lever may then be folded down upon the pushbar'andthe rack-bar laid alongside and fastened to the bundle by a cord orotherwise.

The device is simple and economical in construetion. By its use,beginning with one side of the room, the carpet can be stretched in anexpeditious and efficient manner to the opposite side and all advantageseeu rely held.

It can be readily put together for use and taken apart for storing awayin a few seconds.

Heretofore a carpet-stretcher has been composed of a handle provided atone end with a cross-head bearing teeth to engage the carpet, a barpointed at one end,and having its other end bifurcatedand pivoted to thehandle intermediate the ends thereof, and a segmental ratchet-barpivoted to the bar, and extending through and engaging a slot in thehandle. Such construction is not my invention, and is not claimed by me.

What I claim is I 1. A folding carpet-stretcher consisting of ahorizontal push-bar, A, provided with a slot, a containing a cross-pin,a said push-bar toothed at its forward end and provided at the oppositeend with a lever hinged thereto, so as to be folded down-flat upon saidpush-bar, said lever constructed with a slot, 7), containing across-pin, b,.and in combination therewith a rack-bar, (3, engaging thecrosspin b of said lever and detaehably engaged with the crosspin a ofsaid push-bar, the construction and arrangement being such that inoperation the top of the lever will be moved forward in theincombination therewith a rack-bar, G, en-

gaging the cross-pin b of the lever and detachably engaged with thecross-pin a of the push-bar, the construction being such that the top ofthe lever will move forward and force forward the push-bar in thedirection in which the carpet is being stretched, substantially asdescribed. I

3. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination of the push-bar A, having aslot, a and a pin, a", located therein, the operating-lever B, hinged tothe rear end of said push-barand provided with a slot, 1), and a pin,Z), located in said slot, and the rack-bar 0, having at one end theL-shaped slot 0 c, detachably engaging the pin a and formed at itsopposite end with rack-teeth for cngagi mg the pin bflsubstantiall y asdescribed.

In testimony whereofI sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

. ADONIRAM DANN. Witnesses:

FRED G. BLOOD, FRANK HART.

